Planning science communication
1-day Workshop outline
This is a sample outline only. We tailor each workshop to meet the needs of clients.
2 presenters will facilitate the workshop, with 3 panel members (drawn from organisations that use research outputs or pay for research).
Online adaptable
We have adapted this workshop to run online in shorter sessions over several days, please contact us for details.
Objectives
Discuss the components of an effective communication plan.
Consider target groups: what do they want to know, why do they want to know about you, and how do they want to be engaged?
Draft a communication plan by working through a 7-step process.
Preparation
We ask each participant to complete a pre-workshop questionnaire. This allows us to make sure we have a good picture of partcipants’ needs.
We supply participants with details of the venue and any other arrangements.
Evaluation
Reaction based
We give you a feedback sheet to fill out at the end of workshop. We collate the results (we don’t edit them) and return them to the commissioning organisation.
Learning
We assess your learning on an individual basis throughout the workshop and give both oral and written feedback.
Behavioural
We give you individual feedback as you practise the skills in the workshop. We also provide individual feedback forms.
PLANNING COMMS
Program outline
9am
Start
Introduction and objectives
1. The 7-step process
Define and describe a communication plan.
Outline the planning steps necessary to devise a plan.
Divide into small groups to work through the 7-step process.
Reconvene to discuss results, clarify issues, solve problems.
2. Why communicate?
Why does your research group want to communicate its work with other groups?
What are your objectives?
3. Who do you want to communicate with?
List, discuss and prioritise the target groups.
What do you want to get across to each of these groups?
4. Panel discussion
Panel of 2-3 people who use or fund your research discuss their perceptions, concerns and communication needs.
Lunch
5. Message design
What do you want to say?
Do you have different messages for different target groups?
6. The best methods
Considering your target groups and your messages, what are the most effective and cost-effective communication methods?
7. Evaluation
Unless you evaluate, how will you know if your communication plan is working?
The different ways to evaluate.
8. Action plan
Who will execute the plan?
What resources do you need to provide?
At each stage, you fill in parts of your planning document. By the end of the workshop you will have an individual plan that just requires some detail for it to be complete.